Hello everyone, it’s your host Oliver from DULAXI, and today I’m delighted to be joined by Israeli independent artist and songwriter ARI4, whose developing musical world moves between indie pop, alternative rock, pop, and singer-songwriter influences. Based in Gan Yavne, Israel, ARI4 is joining us to discuss “COLORS,” a deeply personal single released on August 7th, 2026.
“COLORS” began unexpectedly during a writing assignment at BPM College, where ARI4 sat down with classmate Daisy Rogozinski. What started as a routine academic exercise quickly became a vulnerable conversation about personal wounds, relationships, and the ways people can sometimes connect through shared pain. From that encounter came a song that would ultimately become both a creative turning point and a deeply personal reflection on healing.
Before we begin our conversation with ARI4, here’s what you need to know about today’s featured project.
About ARI4
For ARI4, music is about creating an emotional reaction. Whether a song makes someone dance, cry, reflect, or simply stop for a moment, the goal is to make listeners feel something that connects them to the shared experience of being human. That philosophy sits at the heart of “COLORS,” a single that grew from an unplanned moment of honesty and developed into an exploration of trauma bonding, emotional wounds, identity, and hope.
The song originated during ARI4’s studies at BPM College. While working with classmate Daisy Rogozinski, the writing session moved beyond the boundaries of an ordinary assignment as the two began discussing vulnerable experiences. The initial idea was considerably different from what “COLORS” would eventually become. What began as a love song about anger toward someone who had hurt somebody ARI4 cared about gradually developed into something broader after Daisy suggested looking at the situation through the idea that everyone carries some form of brokenness.
Rather than presenting pain as something that permanently defines a person, “COLORS” considers what can happen after acknowledging that pain. Its central idea is that brokenness can be part of life without becoming the entirety of one’s identity. The song asks listeners to find their colors again, to continue living, and to allow themselves the freedom to experience joy even when life has left emotional wounds behind.
Musically, the track developed considerably from its earliest form. It began with ARI4 and a piano, creating a stripped-back foundation that reflected the emotional state surrounding the writing. From there, the song evolved into a brighter and fuller production. RESHAKE created the first draft and introduced greater energy through the guitars, while BLONDY contributed a warm character through the drums and also worked with ARI4 on the melody alongside the wider production and arrangement.
The final credits reflect the collaborative nature of the project. ARI4 and Daisy Rogozinski are credited for the lyrics, while the melody was developed by ARI4 and BLONDY. BLONDY and RESHAKE handled the musical production and arrangement, with ARI4 providing the lead and backing vocals. Nadav Katz handled the mastering.
The recording process also produced an unexpected creative moment. During the first vocal recording, ARI4 and the team improvised the ending beginning with “If you want escape, come and take my hand…” That spontaneous contribution became part of the finished emotional journey, demonstrating how the song continued to evolve beyond its original conception.
Although “COLORS” is an important statement in ARI4’s developing career, the artist is not attempting to place themselves inside one fixed musical category. ARI4 describes still developing their style and voice, having already explored a dance song and indie pop while currently working on a more intimate bedroom-pop song. That openness is an important part of understanding the project. “COLORS” represents a particular stage in the artist’s journey rather than a final definition of what ARI4’s music will become.
For ARI4, the most important personal realization to emerge from “COLORS” was that trauma does not need to define the future. That realization gives the song significance beyond its immediate story. It transforms the track from an account of difficult experiences into an invitation to keep searching for light, color, connection, and possibility.
Having this brief introduction to today’s featured project, I’m sure both new listeners and longtime fans are excited to hear directly from ARI4. So, without further ado, let’s begin today’s interview.
INTERVIEW SESSION
Oliver:
You describe “COLORS” as a song that was born almost entirely by chance, beginning as a routine writing assignment during your studies at BPM College before a session with your classmate Daisy Rogozinski turned into a deeply personal conversation. What was it about that moment of opening up about your most vulnerable experiences that allowed the writing session to move beyond an academic exercise and become something much more personal?
ARI4:
It was just a safe place in college and with the people I studied with.
Oliver:
You describe your music as something you want to make people feel strongly enough to stop whatever they are doing, whether that means dancing, crying in the corner, reflecting, or simply recognizing that “we’re all the same.” Where does that desire to create such a strong emotional connection come from, and what does it mean to you when a listener genuinely feels something through your music?
ARI4:
I remember a friend once told me, “I listen to music that makes me feel things”—needless to say, I took it to heart.
Oliver:
You are still at the beginning of your journey as an independent artist who writes and composes your own music, yet “COLORS” seems to have revealed something deeply personal about you. How has discovering your own voice through songwriting changed the way you understand yourself as both a musician and a person?
ARI4:
I was always conflicted about entering the music scene because of the practicality of it all, but it was just a song that resonated with me so much I wanted other people to hear it as well.
Oliver:
At the heart of “COLORS” is the idea of trauma bonding and the complicated relationships that can develop when people connect through shared wounds. What drew you to explore this subject, and what did writing about both the beauty and difficulty of these connections teach you about the difference between bonding through pain and finding a healthier form of connection?
ARI4:
Well, I had a crush on one of my classmates (that I later discovered was one-sided), nothing too complicated. I believe everything happens for a reason. 🙂
Oliver:
One of the song’s most powerful ideas is that feeling broken does not mean that life is over. You describe this brokenness as simply being part of life, while encouraging people to find their colors again and continue moving forward. What does “finding your colors” mean to you personally, and how did that idea become the emotional center of the song?
ARI4:
I use grey as sadness, red as passion, black as acceptance, and green as hope and renewal. The lack of colors is apathy in my opinion. And of course, props to Daisy—she suggested the main theme and took a mediocre song to the next level.
Oliver:
You have said that one of the reasons you felt “COLORS” needed to be released now is because you believe its message of comfort and strength is something everyone in Israel needs to hear. What was happening around you emotionally or personally that made this message feel particularly urgent, and what did you hope someone going through a difficult moment would feel when they heard the song?
ARI4:
I wrote it a little after what happened on October 7th; it was my way of dealing with the disaster.
Oliver:
Musically, “COLORS” begins in a quiet and intimate space before gradually opening into a much bigger emotional indie-pop chorus driven by guitars and drums. How did you use that progression in the songwriting, melody, and arrangement to reflect the movement from vulnerability and darkness toward strength, acceptance, and the possibility of joy?
ARI4:
At first it was just me and a piano that captured my mental state and, I guess, a lot of people around me. It later developed into a more bright, shiny song, for lack of a better word.
Oliver:
The credits show a collaborative creative process: you and Daisy Rogozinski wrote the lyrics, you and BLONDY developed the melody, while BLONDY and RESHAKE handled the musical production and arrangement. How did those different creative contributions shape the song as it evolved, and was there a particular moment when another person’s idea changed the direction of “COLORS” in a way you had not originally imagined?
ARI4:
Well, at first the lyrics were basically a love song about how I was angry someone hurt somebody I loved. Daisy suggested that maybe it’s okay they were hurt, in the sense that we are all broken somehow—especially here—and then the song took a turn. RESHAKE did the first draft and brought the energy up with the guitars, and BLONDY was my rock and gave it a warm feel with the drums. 🙂
Oliver:
Because “COLORS” deals with deeply vulnerable subjects, there is a delicate balance between allowing the pain to be heard and making sure the pain does not become the entire story. How did you approach the lyrics with enough honesty to make the experience feel real while still leaving space for comfort, strength, healing, and the possibility of finding joy again?
ARI4:
It was a process. At the first vocal recording, we actually improvised the end of the song—the part that starts with: “If you want escape, come and take my hand…”
Oliver:
The line “We are all broken, but it’s okay… Just pick your colors, come and play” captures the song’s central message in a surprisingly gentle way. What does the idea of choosing your own colors represent for you, and why was it important to connect healing with the freedom to dance, play, and experience happiness even when the heart is still wounded?
ARI4:
I guess it comes down to how I deal with stress and sadness. Colors is abstract, and I wanted people to be able to insert themselves into the song.
Oliver:
As a songwriter and composer, you are developing the artistic language that will define ARI4, and “COLORS” brings together intimate singer-songwriter vulnerability with an alternative and indie-pop sound that expands into a fuller band-driven arrangement. Which elements of this song feel most representative of the artist you are becoming, and which parts revealed something about your creative identity that you did not know was there before making it?
ARI4:
Wow, that’s a tough question! I think I’m still developing my style and voice. I mean, I did a dance song, now indie-pop, and I’m currently working on a more intimate bedroom-pop song, so I believe the third part is the most accurate reflection of where I am in my journey at the moment.
Oliver:
The credits list you on lead and backing vocals, with the musical production and arrangement handled by BLONDY and RESHAKE and mastering by Nadav Katz. When you approached the vocal performance, what did you want your voice to communicate emotionally, and were there particular moments where you felt the vocal needed to expose more of the vulnerability behind the song?
ARI4:
I’m very self-critical, so I tried to let go, connect with my emotions, and think of the specific person I wanted to listen.
Oliver:
You have described the experience of making “COLORS” as initiating a deep internal process of change for you, both as a creator and as a person. Looking back now, what is the biggest personal realization you carried away from making the song, and how has that realization continued to influence the way you see yourself or your music?
ARI4:
My trauma doesn’t need to define me or my future.
Oliver:
You describe your music as something that can make people dance or cry in the corner, while also reminding listeners that “we’re all the same” and that sometimes it can simply be fun to be human. How do you balance emotional depth with that sense of playfulness in your music, and why is that balance important to the kind of artist you want ARI4 to become?
ARI4:
Well, I’m a bit cynical in my day-to-day life. Music allows me to find more playful sides and be a kid again, I guess—or make people cry like an evil Sims experiment.
Oliver:
Working with Daisy Rogozinski, BLONDY, RESHAKE, and the other contributors to “COLORS” gave you the opportunity to see the song develop through different creative perspectives. What did this experience teach you about collaboration, particularly about knowing when to protect the emotional core of your original idea and when to trust someone else’s perspective enough to let the song become something different from what you first imagined?
ARI4:
I mainly tried to listen to everyone, and it was built gradually rather than all of us collaborating at once—hence, not too many cooks. I don’t think anyone pushed me out of my comfort zone, but then again, I’m a chill gal! lol
Oliver:
For listeners who hear “COLORS” and recognize their own experiences of pain, complicated relationships, or feeling emotionally broken, what do you hope remains with them after the final note fades, especially for someone who may be struggling to believe that there can still be something beautiful waiting beyond what they are going through?
ARI4:
There is always hope and light. At times, fragile as we are, we can’t find it, but it only takes a sliver of hope—like a friend cheering you on, or for me, my sister asking if I’m fine…
Oliver:
“COLORS” feels like an introduction to an artist who is interested not simply in making songs, but in creating moments that make people stop and feel something. As you continue developing your independent career, what kind of emotional world do you want ARI4’s future music to build, and what do you hope people will eventually recognize as the unmistakable heart of your artistry?
ARI4:
An authentic one with a little idealistic view, I guess. I hope I can convey it well enough.
“ARI4 turns a deeply personal starting point into an open invitation for listeners to confront their own wounds, choose their own colors, and remember that being human still leaves room for hope, playfulness, and new beginnings.”
~ Oliver (DULAXI Team)
EDITORIAL PERSPECTIVE
“COLORS” stands out for the way its emotional honesty is balanced by an instinct for openness. ARI4 does not attempt to dictate how listeners should interpret the song, instead leaving room for personal experience within its central metaphor. The movement from piano-led intimacy toward a fuller arrangement gives the song a sense of emotional expansion, while the collaborative process adds character without losing its personal foundation. More importantly, the conversation reveals an artist still discovering their sound, but already certain that music should make people feel.
~ Oliver (DULAXI Team)
CLOSING
Our conversation with ARI4 offers an intimate look at the ideas, experiences, and creative decisions behind “COLORS.” What began as an unexpected writing session at BPM College ultimately became a song about pain, relationships, identity, healing, and the possibility of choosing something new after difficult experiences.
Thank you to ARI4 for taking the time to speak with DULAXI and for sharing the personal story behind the music with such openness. “COLORS” invites listeners to bring their own experiences into its message, making the song not only a reflection of ARI4’s journey but also a space in which others can find something of themselves.
We encourage you to spend some time with “COLORS” and discover the meaning of its colors for yourself. As ARI4 continues developing their sound across indie pop, dance, bedroom pop, and other musical directions, this release offers an intriguing glimpse into an artist who is still discovering their voice while remaining committed to authenticity and emotional connection.
Thank you for spending time with us here at DULAXI. We hope you enjoyed getting to know ARI4 and the story behind “COLORS” as much as we enjoyed bringing this conversation to you. Until our next interview, keep listening, keep discovering, and keep making room for the music that makes you feel.